Cook County’s property tax system needs reform. Here’s how to fix it.

Pilsen residents and Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) protested in December 2022 after a sharp hike in their Cook County property tax bills, some of which doubled or tripled from 2021. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

New reassessments, mayoral campaign promises, criminal convictions — the property tax system seems to be constantly in the news in Chicago and Cook County.

In part that’s because property taxes are simply far too high, mainly a result of over-reliance on this revenue source to fund our schools. In part, it’s the legacy of a corrupt assessment system and ongoing efforts to reform that system.